As 2024 comes to a close, I can say with pride that this was the year I stopped living for everyone else.

I stopped going above and beyond for people who wouldn’t do the same for me.

I stopped being the bigger person when it meant swallowing my pain to make others feel better.

I stopped fixing what I didn’t break and carrying the weight of problems that were never mine to solve.

I stopped showing up for people who consistently failed to show up for me.

And I stopped sacrificing my happiness, peace, and joy just to keep the peace.

This year, I matched energy.

When people brought respect, I gave it back. When they brought disrespect, I set them straight.

I refused to stay silent to "keep the peace" while others crossed my boundaries.

I started calling people out on their behavior the moment it happened, no longer letting it slide.

I stopped letting fake apologies and empty promises keep me trapped in toxic cycles.

2024 was the year I finally protected my energy.

I walked away from one-sided relationships and left behind people who drained me.

I stood firm in my boundaries, even when others didn’t like them.

I stopped explaining myself to people who were never going to understand my worth.

I prioritized my happiness, pouring into myself first without guilt or apology.

This was the year I stopped shrinking myself to fit into spaces where I was never meant to be.

I stopped dimming my light for people who couldn’t handle its brightness.

I said “no” more than ever before, and I meant it every time.

As 2024 ends, I look back and see the version of myself I always wanted to become:

A version that chooses self-respect, peace, and joy unapologetically.

A version that no longer bends over backward to please others at the expense of my own soul.

This was the year I chose me and I’m never going back.

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